COLUMN: Playoff picture taking shape for G-A sports

With Monday's weather further complicating an already frantic week, it's a good time to take a step back and examine how the postseason picture is shaping up for Greencastle-Antrim's spring sports.

Let's start on the diamond.

Including all games played through Saturday, the G-A varsity baseball team is basically on the bubble in the updated District 3-AAA power ratings, with the Blue Devils currently ranked 15th.

Of the 38 Class AAA teams, only the top 16 make the cut, trimmed down from 20 a season ago.

To put it plainly — G-A must take care of business over the next four days.

Following yesterday's postponements, the Blue Devils (8-5) now play Boiling Springs today at home before hosting Gettysburg on Wednesday. G-A then wraps up its pivotal stretch at Big Spring on Friday, more or less needing to sweep the week in order to create some breathing room.

Fortunately, the Blue Devils defeated all three Mid-Penn Colonial Division opponents in their meetings earlier this year, providing plenty of confidence heading into each match-up.

Aside from the obvious, adding to the immediate importance of winning are the two remaining contests awaiting G-A next week, when the Blue Devils will play a pair of Quad-A teams in Chambersburg and Waynesboro on the road to conclude their regular season schedule.

Originally, G-A was to host Central Dauphin for its season finale on Saturday, May 11, but a scheduling conflict forced the game to be canceled. At the moment, no replacement opponent has been announced, leaving the Blue Devils with a total of just 18 games come time for District 3's deadline date of May 14.

"We feel like we have to win all three games next week," G-A head coach Eric Shaner said following Friday's loss to Spring Grove. "Regardless of how the games play out, we have to find a way to win."

Things aren't quite as tense for the G-A varsity softball team, which currently finds itself comfortably in position to make the 16-team field.

Not yet including the Blue Devils' 2-1 showing at the Big Spring tournament on Saturday, G-A sat at No. 4 in the most-recent Class AAA ratings, likely to at least stay put following two victories over Quad-A opponents (Chambersburg and New Oxford) in Newville.

While sharing the same five remaining opponents as the baseball team, the Blue Devil ladies find themselves in the driver's seat concerning the Colonial Division.

Entering today's game at Boiling Springs, G-A (11-4) technically sits tied atop the league standings with James Buchanan, both boasting a record of 6-2. However, due to the Blue Devils sweeping their season series against the Rockets, any tiebreaker should favor G-A.

The wildcard will be Waynesboro, who currently remains a half game back at 5-2. Depending on how things play out, the season finale on May 9 between the Maidens and Blue Devils in Greencastle could very well determine the Colonial title.

Page 2 of 2 - Despite having to wait until official performance sheets are released on Sunday, May 12 for the District 3 Track and Field Championships, several Blue Devil athletes have likely already solidified a spot in the annual event held at Shippensburg University.

Ranging from Nikki Garns' school-record time in the girls' 400 at the Apple Blossom Invitational on Saturday to Austin Scott breaking a 52-year-old stadium record in the long jump earlier this month, G-A will boast some legitimate contenders come mid-May.

The boys' 4x100 relay team of Scott, Taylor Kirkpatrick, Eli Bock and Devin Statler also appears to be peaking at the right time, posting a season-best time of 43.30 on Saturday, certainly expected to make the Class AAA field.

Following Thursday's non-league dual meet at Trinity, the Blue Devils will host the Route 16 Last Chance Qualifier next Monday, providing an additional opportunity for area athletes to record a district-qualifying time or distance.

G-A will then compete at the Mid-Penn Championships in Chambersburg on Saturday, May 11 before sending qualified participants to the District 3 meet the following weekend.